Anybody have methods/materials they use to extend or maintain wiper blades? Here in the deep south blades do not last long with so much exposure to sunlight. Since I retired and park in my carport blades do last better than when I was working and parking in an open lot during the week.
Wiper Blade Care
- Thread starter oldcodger
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OC, you are exactly correct. UV exposure deteriorates the blades quickly. I think that you are probably doing all you can do. I know one individual who parks his car outside. In the summer between drives he puts pipe insulation sleeves around each blade to try and help preserve them.
They are a 3-6 month replacement item.
Not if you buy quality items. My Toyota OEM blade replacement inserts last about 18+ months. They are only $10 a piece and they last that long despite my vehicle baking in the Virginia sun everyday.
As for maintaining them, all I have to do is wipe the blade every few weeks to get the road grime off of them.
I use the Toyota inserts whenever possible and they are a 6-9 month item for me. But I prefer a clean streak-free wipe, so I may replace more often than other people.
All others are 3-6 months imo.
I have been using this stuff for I don't know how long. My wipers don't smear for at least 2 to 3 years. I don't think they make this product any longer. It was probably environmentally unfriendly, carcinogenic, mutagenic, etc. I have a lifetime supply.
Florida car here. I wipe mine quickly with a microfiber towel after washing the car weekly. Always leaves a nice black stain on the towel as I remove road grime. Helps to maintain a streak free wipe.
I still replace them way too often regardless.
Rain-x on a clean claybared windshield helps tremendously as well. That way you don’t have tiny stuck on particles that will chip away at the blade with each wipe.
I still replace them way too often regardless.
Rain-x on a clean claybared windshield helps tremendously as well. That way you don’t have tiny stuck on particles that will chip away at the blade with each wipe.
Rain-X on Windshield, don't need wipers except for the heaviest of down pours.
There are lots of folks who like putting WD40 on a clean cloth and wiping down the blades.
Silicone blades.
Wipe my blades down with spray wax when detailing the car.
I do that as well. But it never rains here, so I really shouldn't bother. Both my cars, (2015 / 2018), have never been driven on a wet street yet. It just doesn't rain that often, and we're retired and don't go anywhere if it does.
We washed and detailed all 3 vehicles over the last couple of days. And we're both getting older, and it takes considerable effort for us to do it. So the last thing we want is to slop them up after we do.
In fact, the rear window wiper on my Jeep has never been turned on. So I couldn't tell you if it even works or not.
I made blocks to insert under the arm which hold the blade off the windshield. I clean them when washing the car and on my 99 Acura I'm on my second set of replacement OE blades.
YMMV
Smoky
YMMV
Smoky
I've wiped down my wiper blades with WD40, 303 or ArmourAll(or similar products) with, Mmmm, decent success. However, after the wipe down, I let the product dry and wipe again with water to eliminate that "over residue"(if you will). This helps to reduce the smearing/fogging/hazing(or whatever your experience is) on the windshield glass itself.
Years ago, it was a bad thing to WAX your windshield as, when the wipers went over the glass(during the rain), the windshield would FOG or HAZE(momentarily). I mean, if it were daytime, you could still see however, if the wipers were full ON, the FOG would remain. And if the wipers were on INTERMITTENT, the FOG would dissipate slowly until the next INT wipe. If the INT was set to the fastest wipe, the FOG wouldn't have enough time to dissipate. And this was toooooo dangerous for my liking and even worst at night in the rain with oncoming lights of other vehicles or the overhead hiwy lighting...OMG!
This is the reason that I don't like putting any type of paint polish/wax/silicone/quick detail on my windshield, although I have read of others doing this with good/great success. I've talked to other who have used NU-FINISH of their windshield or certain quick detail products(TWIS&S) and love it. I do like Rain-X on the glass with a WD40 on the wipers - however, together(WD40 & Rain-X) this can sometime cause the wiper to hop as both the windshield & wiper blades are super clean.
I guess that the whole point is, you gotta do what works for you!
My main concern is...night time driving in foul weather.
Years ago, it was a bad thing to WAX your windshield as, when the wipers went over the glass(during the rain), the windshield would FOG or HAZE(momentarily). I mean, if it were daytime, you could still see however, if the wipers were full ON, the FOG would remain. And if the wipers were on INTERMITTENT, the FOG would dissipate slowly until the next INT wipe. If the INT was set to the fastest wipe, the FOG wouldn't have enough time to dissipate. And this was toooooo dangerous for my liking and even worst at night in the rain with oncoming lights of other vehicles or the overhead hiwy lighting...OMG!
This is the reason that I don't like putting any type of paint polish/wax/silicone/quick detail on my windshield, although I have read of others doing this with good/great success. I've talked to other who have used NU-FINISH of their windshield or certain quick detail products(TWIS&S) and love it. I do like Rain-X on the glass with a WD40 on the wipers - however, together(WD40 & Rain-X) this can sometime cause the wiper to hop as both the windshield & wiper blades are super clean.
I guess that the whole point is, you gotta do what works for you!
My main concern is...night time driving in foul weather.
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Drastically varies, but my last set of Trico blades made it right at 3 yrs and still worked very well, just one blade had a small split, so I replaced with the same exact thing. Every time I clean the glass I do the blades as well and also apply some type of spray wax to them as well as the glass every 1-2 months. I have no doubt that makes them last longer and perform well.
Thats why I like the blades on a Honda. You can just purchase the inserts and change them...they come coated in graphite and have always had good luck with them. Even on my 21 hrv with the newer style blade the rubber can be changed with new inserts... I do it around once a year....works for me..
I've wiped down my wiper blades with WD40, 303 or ArmourAll(or similar products) with, Mmmm, decent success. However, after the wipe down, I let the product dry and wipe again with water to eliminate that "over residue"(if you will). This helps to reduce the smearing/fogging/hazing(or whatever your experience is) on the windshield glass itself.
Years ago, it was a bad thing to WAX your windshield as, when the wipers went over the glass(during the rain), the windshield would FOG or HAZE(momentarily). I mean, if it were daytime, you could still see however, if the wipers were full ON, the FOG would remain. And if the wipers were on INTERMITTENT, the FOG would dissipate slowly until the next INT wipe. If the INT was set to the fastest wipe, the FOG wouldn't have enough time to dissipate. And this was toooooo dangerous for my liking and even worst at night in the rain with oncoming lights of other vehicles or the overhead hiwy lighting...OMG!
This is the reason that I don't like putting any type of paint polish/wax/silicone/quick detail on my windshield, although I have read of others doing this with good/great success. I've talked to other who have used NU-FINISH of their windshield or certain quick detail products(TWIS&S) and love it. I do like Rain-X on the glass with a WD40 on the wipers - however, together(WD40 & Rain-X) this can sometime cause the wiper to hop as both the windshield & wiper blades are super clean.
I guess that the whole point is, you gotta do what works for you!
My main concern is...night time driving in foul weather.
The Griots 3 n 1 sio2 spray wax works great on glass.
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